Detained Pakistani lawyer defies arrest order

By IRNA

Lahore : President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, who has been under house arrest for three months, on Thursday torn apart order to extend his detention for 30 days and described the order as illegal.


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Aitzaz Ahsan was put under house arrest on November 3rd when President Pervez Musharraf proclaimed emergency and sacked the Chief Justice.

Aitzaz Ahsan, also leader of Pakistan People Party, came out of his residence in Lahore and walked towards the Press Club to meet media persons but the police stopped him near a nearby park.

He told reporters at the park that he has completed three months in detention and the detention can not be extended unless the case is sent to a review board of the Supreme Court.

Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum also argued that the detention can not be extended beyond three months unless approved by the review board of the Supreme Court.

“I think extension in detention is not a right step,” he said.

Aitzaz Ahsan said that he came out of his residence after the detention period was over and that there was no fresh order.

“My detention period is ended today and there was no order so I came out of my home,” he said.

When the Deputy Superintendent Jail showed him a 30-day detention order he torn it and refused to return home.

Aitzaz Ahsan said that under the constitution the issue of extension in house arrest should have been gone to the a review board of the Supreme Court and the judges must have taken note of it.

“The judges who have taken oath under the Provisional Constitution Order have not taken note of the detention of the Chief Justice ftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary how can they take notice of my illegal detention,” he said.

When Aitzaz Ahsan came out of his residence more than 200 political activists and members of civil society gathered and chanted slogans against the government.

“My detention is illegal. I was not allowed to attend Quran Khwani for my leader Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto two times.

My wife had organized the gathering and we requested the police to attend it but was not allowed,” he said.

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